Wilting Thyme
by wolveswolvesandmorewolves
Summary: DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ FALLING TWIG. Twigpaw is gone. Ashclaw is gone. Off doing StarClan knows what. We all thought it wouldn't affect us. We were so wrong. Stoneheart is taking over. And with nobody to stand in his way, we're all doomed to his terrible reign. Somebody needs to take Twigpaw's place, and fast. I guess it has to be me.
1. Dreams

**DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ FALLING TWIG!  
Anyway, it's me again. In this story, Thymepaw is dealing with her own kind of drama and trouble. The summary sounds terrible, but the book is much better. Trust me. **

** Comment!**

** -Lilith **

_I was standing in the clearing again._

_ It was the same clearing I had been to before: same wild green grass, cool underneath my paws. Same thick, ominous, dark trees that surrounded the small ring of grass and earth, making shadows fall across the clearing. It was nighttime, as it always was here, and it was something I had come to expect over time. But this time, I paid more attention. _

_ Looking up, I stared at the sky. A pure white, full moon perched in the sky, bright stars as the moon's companions. But these stars were different: instead of just being small, pinpricks of light that came in many beautiful colors, they were much larger, and brighter. Each star was maybe an eighth of the moon's size, and glowed in bright colors such as pink, green, yellow, orange, and even red here and there. _

_ There was a soft rustling in front of me, and I snapped around to look. _

_ White fur that glistened in the moonlight, shining like a thousand tiny dewdrops, long and sleek against its frame. Blue eyes, as bright as the river, when it is an actual true blue instead of a murky, dark mess, that shone in the moonlight. Its eyes had small blue flecks in them, almost long enough to be streaks of dark blue against light blue. A long tail, with fur that looked so soft and fluffy that they looked like feathers. Small perked ears, swiveled towards me, but its eyes were relaxed. _

_ I took a step back away from the mysterious she-cat. "Who are you?" I growled, not recognizing her from anywhere. _

_ The she-cat smiled at me even though I took an uneasy step back. Her eyes were calm, serene, and as tranquil as the water before somebody disturbs it. _

_ I guess I should've been friendlier: after all, the she-cat didn't look like a threat. But I had heard tales of evil cats who would visit you in your dreams, get on your good side, offer to train you more so you can be better at stuff like battle training, and then the next thing you know you end up in the Dark Forest, or otherwise known as the Place of No Stars. It was a realm of the dead, the opposite of Star Clan really, and I had heard tales that cats like Tigerstar and Hawkfrost roamed there, wallowing in the stinking, slimy place. _

_ But I wasn't worried about this cat over powering me. I was about her size, due to the fact I was almost about to be a warrior. The she-cat must already be a warrior, but she was on the small side, really. It wouldn't be easy, but odds are it would either be an even fight or I would take her down after a bit of a struggle. _

_ "Thymepaw, I had been waiting for you." The she-cat said, opening her mouth to speak. _

_ As she took a step towards me, I noticed how her muscles rippled underneath her fur. Not sleek like a RiverClan cat, and she didn't have long legs, so she probably wasn't a WindClan cat. Her smile was too calm and nonthreatening to be a ShadowClan warrior, but she could meet the description of a ThunderClan warrior. _

_ I was about to ask her how she knew my name and if I was right about my haunch when something happened. _

"Thymepaw! Wake up!"

_No! I didn't want to leave this place. It always happened: I would enter the clearing, notice the stars, see the she-cat, and then I would wake up. I needed to know more about her. Why was she here? How could she see me in my dreams? Who was she? How did she know me? Was she a StarClan warrior?_

_ The she-cat opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly everything snapped back into reality. _

"Thymepaw. Get up." I heard Firepaw's voice before I saw her. Opening my eyes, I stared at her from my nest as she gazed down at me, brown eyes blank.

"Okay, I'm up." I groan, and then slowly draw myself to my feet. I quickly give myself a quick wash before looking around.

My littermates were already up, probably on patrol somewhere. I was the last one up, and I could see through the den that it was almost past sunhigh. Good thing Firepaw woke me up: I wouldn't want to be late to train with Owlflight. But at the same time, I wanted to sleep in. Would the she-cat have told me who she was by now? I guess I would have to wait another day to find out.

As I climbed out of my small nest made from moss, my eyes couldn't help but trail over to the empty, cold nest in the corner. Twigpaw's. How I missed the white and grey apprentice, and even though he had been gone a moon, it felt like he had been gone for ten moons. Sure, he had snuck out late at night to see his mother, betraying the clan. And sure, he had helped an apprentice escape RiverClan, but it didn't matter. In my eyes, he was still a good cat.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to find his new home. The night that he left us, I snuck out and checked the WindClan and ShadowClan borders to check and see if he had crossed them sometime today. Even though I knew that the scent would be stale and the wind might confuse me, I tried to track him anyway. He didn't cross the border at all that night, and while I was on patrol the next day I checked around the outer edge of the border that lined a Twoleg place. No scent there either.

He wasn't fur-brained though. He wouldn't stay on RiverClan territory, and I knew Ashclaw wasn't that stupid either. But it didn't make any sense, unless they drowned in the lake or flew to their new home. I don't think that they drowned, or even had thoughts about drowning themselves, but I couldn't' be sure. And I'm pretty sure flying is impossible for cats.

I couldn't help but think about possibly finding him one day. Finding him and Ashclaw in the woods, barreling Twigpaw over so I could lick his cheek. Then I would pull back, get a good look at him, and then never let him get away from me ever again.

I shook my head to clear it. No. These were hopes and dreams that weren't ever going to happen. Pointless, really, since I knew that these hopes and dreams were stupid. Never going to happen.

But I couldn't help but wonder as I padded out the den what if it did happen.

**So yes. Thymepaw really misses Twigpaw and is trying to find him. Is that just because of their friendship? Or is there some other reason in RiverClan that compels Thymepaw to find Twigpaw? **

** Anyway, comment!  
-Lilith**


	2. Changes

**So yes. Twigpaw is gone. Ashclaw is gone. With nobody in Stoneheart's way, he is free to be as ambitious as he wants. And, if he gains enough power, he could even take out a leader if he wanted to. Somebody needs to get in his way again, to stop him. And if nobody will do it, I will. **

** Like the summary? Sounds good right? **

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**

Outside, I saw Owlflight chatting with Jayflame, and I was thankful that he hadn't left me behind. Stepping into the light, I hurried over to him, ignoring my aching and growling stomach.

"Are we up for patrol?" I asked, and Owlflight turned away from Jayflame to answer.

"Not until you eat. You always scare off the prey with an empty stomach." He said jokingly, and I rolled my eyes before picking off a nice, plump fish off the top of the fresh-kill pile. Dragging it over to the beautiful willow tree I always ate under, I sat down to eat, chewing hungrily.

Suddenly I heard a voice grow louder, attracting my attention. I looked up from my fish, swiping my tongue across my muzzle to clean it. I gazed over the heads of many cats before finding the one I was looking for, the one who had spoken loudly.

Ugh, StarClan. Stoneheart.

His white fur looked groomed as if it were for a reason. Pale blue-grey eyes that seemed to be in a laughing way as he responded to something Blacktail said. Cats milled about him, and I spotted the familiar pelts of Stormcloud, Heronwing, and Flintheart in the mix. Traitors.

After Twigpaw and Ashclaw left, you see, Stoneheart decided for some odd reason to try to become a popular warrior, I guess. He started making friends, acting kinder to a couple of cats, and even taking an interest in the jobs a deputy did. I wasn't the only one who thought he was losing it.

But then he started speaking out. He started saying that a cat who is only half RiverClan is not fully RiverClan, that they don't belong. I have to admit, many cats were shady when Twigpaw was accepted into the clan, but then grew used to him because he had proven his worth many times. But now that he was exiled, there was nothing standing in the way, so they could freely agree with him. Stoneheart's ideas rapidly became a growing trend. He started having an entourage, mostly consisting of Blacktail, Flintheart, Stormcloud, and Heronwing. I even heard a rumor that Lilybloom was fond of him. When I heard that, I almost had to see Daisyleaf since I thought I would throw up.

"Ugh." Mosspaw said, appearing beside me. "That guy gives me the creeps."

"Glad to see I'm not the only one." I murmur.

He let me eat in silence, and as I did, I thought about my recent dream. What had it meant? Who was the cat?

"Mosspaw?"

"Yes?" He asked patiently.

"Do you know a pretty white she-cat with light blue eyes?"

He thought for a moment. "In what clan?"

"ThunderClan or ShadowClan, I guess."

He thought for a minute longer. "No. All of the white she-cats I know have green eyes, not blue." He said.

"Oh." I say, disappointed.

"Does this she-cat have a name?" He asked, sitting down beside me.

"I've seen her before –many times, actually. But I can't remember her name or where she's from or anything." I say, and he looked confused.

"You never asked?"

"I never got the time to!" I defend myself.

He chuckled quietly, and I ate another piece of my fish. As I did, I wondered how I could phrase the next question.

"Say, uh…you haven't seen Twigpaw around, huh?" I asked cautiously.

"No, I haven't seen your mate anywhere." He snorted and rolled his eyes, and I glared at him. For some odd reason, he has it stuck in his head that I am deeply in love with Twigpaw or something.

"Just wondering, okay? I'm not going to go run off to join him in exile or anything. Just want to know where he settled down." I say coolly.

"Well, sorry sis, but I haven't heard anything about him in the past moon." He said, and we both sat there in silence as the disappointment sank in.

"Why do you keep calling me Twigpaw's mate?" I asked.

"Think about it. You were the one to take him to RiverClan. You shared the same nest with him. You were at his apprentice ceremony as well, and hang out with him a lot while you train. And Eaglepaw and I are guys, and we brothers don't see Twigpaw like the way you do."  
"He's just a friend, okay? A rogue friend who I happened to stumble across. No big deal." I say stiffly.

Mosspaw nodded, but I could tell he didn't believe me. "Listen, I got to go: Lilybloom wants me to go on a hunting patrol. See you later, sis!" He called over his shoulder as he walked towards Streamtail, who was forming the next hunting patrol.

I watched him go, wondering if other people were starting up rumors about me and Twigpaw. I needed to locate them and shut them down before they could do any more damage with their stupid rumors.

"Ready to go?" Owlflight asked as he walked up to me. I ate the rest of the fish, and then sat up to follow him to the RiverClan camp entrance/exit.

"Who else are we going with?" I asked as we walked.

"Viperfang, Ospreytalon, Willowbranch, and Firepaw." He rattled off the names.

"We're going to separate to fish, right?"

"Of course. We wouldn't catch anything with six cats. Firepaw, Willowbranch, and Ospreytalon are fishing by the river near WindClan, and the rest of us will fish nearby." He clarified.

The other four cats were waiting for us at the entrance. As we all left the clan, heading through the small tunnel made out of moss and brambles, Firepaw dropped back to speak with me.

"Meet me at the WindClan border near the lake at moohigh." She whispered, and then sped up so there was some space in between us, leaving no room to argue or ask why.

I stared at her, confused. Why tonight? Why at the WindClan border? Who would be there to meet us?

I guess I wouldn't find out until tonight.

**So yes in this book we will discover many more secrets than in the first book. Maybe we might find out why Firepaw hasn't gotten her warrior name yet. Maybe some secret emotions. Yeah I am having way too much fun with this. **

**Comment!**

**-Lilith**


	3. Old Friends

** Dear Purpisso,**

** Your comment on how late it is, updating at five pm, made me laugh so hard. You think five pm is late? I update around one am in the morning sometimes. I fell asleep just now and it's about nine thirty here and I am just about to eat dinner. You are hilarious. **

** Sincerely, **

** -Lilith**

** (Comment!)**

I was tired after the hunting patrol, but not tired enough to go see a couple of my friends.

"Goldenpool, Daisyleaf." I greeted them, walking through the ferns into the medicine cat's den.

"Good to see you, Thymepaw!" Goldenpool enthusiastically greeted me, giving me a lick between the ears. Ever since the day we met, even though at the time I was a kit and she was an apprentice, we were best friends. I know Twigpaw didn't really take the time to know Daisyleaf or Goldenpool, but I sure did.

"You too, old friend." I replied before yawning.

"Well, I was going to ask you two to collect some herbs for me, but if you're too tired to do so…"

"No, Daisyleaf. I'm not too tired yet." I lied. I needed to spend some time with Goldenpool.

"Okay, then. Goldenpool, I need a couple cloves of marigold, some juniper berries, some broom, coltsfoot, watermint…you may have to take several trips for this."

"No, it's okay." I reassure her. She nods and finishes rattling off the list of herbs we needed, and then Goldenpool and I walked out of the den.

"What do we need again?" I asked her, since I hadn't heard a word of it.

"Marigold, juniper berries, broom, coltsfoot, watermint, chamomile, comfrey, and goldenrod."

"How many trips do you think we need to take?"

"Two if we can cram four types of herbs in our mouths. Think we can do that?"

"Sure. I might have to settle for three, but you can do four." I said, and she laughed.

We slipped into silence as we walked out the entrance together. The swamp was warm today, and I could hear the sounds of birds chattering, water rushing nearby, and fish leaping in the stream. As I followed Goldenpool, the sounds of water grew louder, until we were next to a small, bubbling brook.

"We should start here. Look for little clumps of long grass that smell like mint and have a little white bulb on each stalk." She said, and we began scouring the earth around us.

"Like this?" I asked, leaning forward to sniff a clump.

"Hold on." She moved me out of the way to lean forward and nibble a leaf. "Yep, that's it. I can taste the mint."

As I leaned down to sever the watermint, she turned and started looking for some more herbs. She had her back to me when I looked up, sniffing at some herbs near a bush. She didn't see the pair of yellow eyes on the other side of the brook, the creamy-furred paw with brown splotches that emerged. I tried to tell the newcomer that now wasn't the time, but Goldenpool noticed anyway.

"Petalpaw!" She cheered, dropping the herbs in her mouth so she could rush across the brook to the rogue apprentice.

I glared at the she-cat over Goldenpool's head, but inwardly I was happy to see her. I hadn't seen her in moons, ever since that night many moons ago. I wanted to ask her so many questions: what happened after she escaped? Where did she live now? Could she support herself? But I couldn't, since that would give the fact that I helped Petalpaw escape.

"What are you doing here? We thought you were dead!" I say, my voice containing the perfect amount of shock to fool Goldenpool.

"Not now. Where is Twigpaw?" The apprentice asked, trying to see around me as if he would be waiting there, watching us.

"Uh…can I talk to you in private?" I asked, and she nodded.

We walked until we were out of earshot. I shot a glance over Petalpaw's shoulder to check and see if Goldenpool was still at the same place, and she was, collecting more herbs. Then I glanced at Petalpaw.

"Where is he? What is it?" She asked, reading my face.

"Twigpaw and Ashclaw…they were exiled out of the clan a moon ago."

"They were?" She asked, eyes widening. "Then I don't have much time. Tell me everything that happened since I left."

So I did, going over the battle with ThunderClan, the loss of Ivoryheart, all of it. She stood there quietly, gasping in all the right places. The words fell easily from my mouth, and it became easy to tell her everything.

When I was done, her face was grim. "I'm too late. Do you know where Twigpaw is now?"

"Not ever since he left, no." I admit, confused. "Too late for what?"

"Stoneheart. Has he been acting differently lately?" She asked, and I nodded.

"What does Stoneheart have to do with anything?" I asked, still confused.

"Do you remember the story of Tigerstar?"

I did, so I nodded. "Well, you see, I'm afraid that Stoneheart is the next Tigerstar."

She let that sink in. My mind could barely understand her words.

Then I laughed. "Really? Stoneheart? Stoneheart is the next Tigerstar?" I asked.

"I know it sounds ridiculous but yes. Why do you think that Twigpaw helped me all those moons ago?" She said fiercely.

It was ridiculous. I didn't want to believe it, but somehow, her words made sense. It could be possible, I guess. But the chances of Stoneheart being the next Tigerstar was…unlikely. Too low to be believable, really.

But to put her at ease, I nodded as if I understood. "It makes sense, I guess."

"Listen: what you need to do is either get Twigpaw back or take his place. Somebody needs to get in Stoneheart's way again. And if you can't find Twigpaw, you need to do it yourself. Understand?"

I nodded, swallowing. The situation seemed much more serious than I ever dreamed. "Good." Petalpaw said, and then turned to the bushes.

"Where are you going?" I asked, surprised.

"I have to go. I would love to stay, but I don't know what might happen if I do. You understand what you must do, though?"

"I do." I lied.

"Good. Maybe we'll meet up again." She said, and then as quickly as she came, she vanished.

I watched the spot where she had disappeared from for a moment before rushing back to Goldenpool. She had a small herb pile on the bank of the brook, growing as she placed another clump of herbs on top. "Where's Petalpaw?" She asked.

"She left. I think somebody needs her or something." I lied.

"Oh. Well, I think I found all the herbs." She said, and my heart seemed to deflate. My real purpose to be alone with her was to ask her about prophetic dreams, to tell her about the mysterious white she-cat. But then Petalpaw came.

"Okay. Come on: let's get back to camp." I say, snagging as many herbs as I could in my mouth before following her towards the camp.

**So I guess Thymepaw needs a bit of a push to understand Stoneheart. In the beginning, she does not know of how ambitious Stoneheart really is. But that's about to change.**

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**


	4. Author's Note

** AUTHOR'S NOTE. PLEASE READ!**

** So my poll number went from nine yeses and two maybes to twelves yeses and two maybes. Good work guys! But now were are at the crossroads. Should I put this story on pause to do Petalpaw's story or continue with this to do Petalpaw's story later? I posted another poll on my profile page (another one!) and until I get at least the minimum number of seven on one side, I will go through with that. Make your choice, people. **

** THANKYOU FOR READING THIS IF YOU DID!**


	5. Taking Sleepwalking to A New Level

** So in this chapter, we will find out more about Thymepaw's dreams. And Psychic Eevee0113, you are pretty much right about the whole scenario. Except the fact that A.) I'm pretty sure Tigerstar was never a RiverClan warrior, B.) Firestar was never a rogue cat, never was exiled from the clan, and became a leader (I am not sure whether or not to make Twigpaw a leader eventually) and C.) Petalpaw is a girl, looks nothing like Ravenpaw, and didn't leave to go live off with Barley (or May in this story). **

** Also, let's not forget that there is a coldblooded killer (as opposed to a peace-loving killer! Love that line!) running around. That will come in handy. **

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**

That evening, I went to sleep early. Curling up in my warm nest, I let out a sleepy sigh before closing my eyes, willing myself to catch a few hours of sleep before I would meet Firepaw.

_Just a few hours, and then I would wake myself up_, I told myself. _And then I could go right back to sleep afterwards._

Of course, my subconscious did not obey.

_It felt that as soon as I closed my eyes, I was standing in the clearing again. Everything was the same: the same starry night sky, the same dark trees that lined the clearing, the same white she-cat waiting for me. But instead of sitting patiently, waiting for me, she was pacing. _

_ "Oh, good, you're here." She said, which was a shock, since I never heard her speak with anxiety. _

_ "Yes. Is something the matter?" I asked, feeling as if everything had turned: I was the calm one, she was the impatient one. The switch was weird and uncomfortable. _

_ "Actually, there is. Follow me, please." With that, she turned and vanished into the woods, her white pelt slinking into the black gracefully. _

_ I stared at the darkness, feeling as if there were things watching me that I couldn't see. A new feeling, I guess. But instead of a comfortable feeling, knowing the animal that was watching me, I felt as if these things were evil. The feeling made shivers run up and down my back, small but sending a small pang of fear into my heart. _

_ "Are you coming?" She asked, her head suddenly appearing from the shadows. _

_ Feeling as if I had no choice, I followed. _

_ As soon as I stepped outside the clearing, I felt the world around me change. Instead of complete black, I saw flickers and flashes of golden light here and there, sparks of colored light as they seemed to streak by. Everything was changing, sifting, and forming until it dissolved again. But one thing stayed the same: the white she-cat with blue eyes. _

_ Suddenly everything became solid again. I was in the darkness again, but this time I recognized where we were. RiverClan territory. I heard the familiar sounds of leaves rustling, water rushing by, and animals stirring beneath us. _

_ That's right. I said beneath us. _

_ I clutched on to the solid object beneath my claws for dear life immediately, feeling like if the wind blew, I would be thrown forward and to my doom. Up here, in the cool night, the bark underneath my paws was hard and unfamiliar, strange and foreign. _

_ "Oh, calm down. You're in a tree." The cat said beside me, but her eyes were trained on the ground below us. _

_ "Why?" I huffed, fear making my heart race and my voice shake. "Why did you put us here?" _

_ "Sorry. I forgot how you RiverClan cats aren't fond of tree-climbing for fun. I really am sorry, but we have to stay here for now."_

_ "You climb these things for fun?" I asked, finally able to grasp onto the tree. _

_ "All the time. I used to race my sister up the biggest tree in ThunderClan territory, higher and higher until we reached the top. Once, we even climbed Four Trees together. Ah, how I missed those times." She said with a sigh. _

_ What kind of crazy world did she live in? _

_ "Hush now." She said suddenly, peering down at something below us. "They are coming." _

_ "Who?"_

_ "Shush! They may not here us, but we need to be quiet regardless. Anything we do will still affect the real world." She said. _

_ Before I could ask what she meant, there was voices beneath us. Looking down, I almost fell out of the tree again in shock. _

_ Three cats were walking beneath us. One had a pale grey pelt that shone in the moonlight, and was much bigger than the other two. The other two were about the same size, but one had golden brown fur while the other was a tortoiseshell. As we watched them, the tortoiseshell opened her mouth. _

_ "Why are we outside the camp? I want to be sleeping instead of exploring." She said tiredly. _

_ In a flash my mind immediately snapped, sending an image of two cats playing inside the camp walls. Brother and sister, staying by each other sides at all times. Maplekit and Oakit. _

_ A growl rose low in my throat. I knew that Stoneheart was trouble. And I had proof: here he was, leading two kits away from the camp in the middle of the night. To do what, I don't know, but it was against the rules, regardless. _

_ "You have to wake up now so you can stop him." The she-cat beside me said quietly. _

_ "What's he planning to do?" I asked. _

_ "Knowing him, nothing good." She turned to me. "Any last questions?" _

_ "I don't even know who you are!" I yelped. _

_ She paused for a minute, thinking to herself. "Call me Snowfur." _

_ Those were the last words I heard before everything was plunged into darkness. _

"Snowfur!" I gasped her name as I woke up, feeling triumphant. I had learned that my dream visitor was not only a ThunderClan warrior, but had a name! Snowfur had a pretty ring to it, I guess. Now if I could just find a cat who remembered her past, I would be golden.

"Huh?" A voice mumbled next to me, and I realized I had awoken Eaglepaw. "Wha happa cha?"

"Sorry for waking you up, Eaglepaw. Go back to sleep." I say, leaning over his dazed, white-furred body. He blinked his blue eyes at me stupidly, then shrugged and turned to get in a more comfortable position.

Slinking out of the den, I looked around for the warrior that was guarding the camp tonight. Whoever was guarding the camp originally was gone. Oh, that's right, it was Stoneheart's turn tonight. So that's how he did it.

Stepping into the shadows, I hurried away from the camp and into the cool night.

**So our poll tally is: 1 person for Wilting Thyme first, 1 person for Petalpaw's Legacy first. Please make your vote! One vote isn't going to cut it!**

** In case you are wondering, Snowfur did exist. Want proof? Read Bluestar's Prophecy. If you don't want to and just want to find out Snowfur's past through this fanfic, I got you covered, since I am going to post a chapter about that. **

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**


	6. Author's Note part 2

** Okay guys, I am sorry to say this but I may have to pause Wilting Thyme. It is not because Petalpaw's story got more votes (it hasn't met the minimum requirements yet) but because the other day I decided to start a non-fanfic story. Don't worry: stuff like that only lasts for a few weeks. But until then I will either not work on Wilting Thyme or very rarely will do so. Don't think that it is because I am lazy, it's just that my creative juices only work for one story, not two. I have a good idea for another chapter, but I have to bust Stoneheart first, and I don't have any ideas for that. If you comment or PM me, tell me an idea you could possibly have, I might be able to not need a break. But until then you won't be hearing much from me on this story. **

** You can hate me all you want. It won't make me post any faster. **

** -Lilith**


	7. I'm Not Alone

**So you know when you get this really good idea to end a book/fanfic you've been writing but kind of want to drag it out so the book will be longer? I'm dealing with that right now. I kind of want to end this story with Stoneheart dying but a new bad guy rising to take his place. And if you want to make a guess for who it is, go ahead. Make my day, please. **

** -Lilith**

I was running. I don't know how fast, or how long it would take me to get to the spot Stoneheart, Oakit, and Maplekit had been, but it didn't seem to matter. Scenarios kept forming in my mind, all involving something terrible happening to the poor, scared kits and me being too late to stop it. I knew I probably looked brave, running after them to retrieve the kits from his clutches, but there was fear in my heart. I knew I should've been scared, but instead of drowning me, the fear turned to fuel, making me run faster and my heart race. I couldn't let anything happen to them.

Finally I got close to the ShadowClan side of the border, where most of the trees were. Slowing, I began to walk, even though I was prepared to give out a dead run if I heard the slightest sound. Nothing except the rustling of the trees and the wild grass, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hear anything over that. So I closed my eyes, blocking out everything, parted my mouth, then took a deep breath.

Immediately my nostrils were flooded with scents. The sweetness of the pine trees, the heather smell to the wild grass, the dampness in the moist ground. I could smell a faint stench, and I knew a ShadowClan patrol had come by earlier. A squirrel was scuffing around in the pine needles nearby, and I could practically hear its heartbeat, fast and wild, and taste the bloody meat in my mouth. But now wasn't the time to eat; now was the time for a rescue mission.

Then it hit me. The faint smell of milk, blowing gently from the east. Raising my head, I inhaled even deeper, then caught the smell. Kits, a little ways away.

Turning away from the border, I began plowing through the marsh, ignoring the ferns and vegetation around me. Occasionally, I would stop and sniff the air, but by now I was sure that I was heading in the right direction.

Finally, I pinpointed the source: a clump of ferns, quivering under the moonlight. Coiling my muscles into a spring, I waited until the ferns went absolutely still before springing, heading straight for the center of the clump. My paws met a warm body, and it began thrashing underneath me, but I triumphantly held it down.

"Ha! Got you!" I cried, and looked down, expecting Stoneheart. But instead of the pale warrior, I was gazing at a light grey she-cat with a ginger streak across her torso, tail, and legs, and a white muzzle, belly, front legs and tail, completed with blazing amber eyes streaked with yellow. I stared at her in surprise, not recognizing her at all. Then something in the back of my mind clicked.

"Bouncepaw? What in StarClan are you doing here?" I asked, getting off the ShadowClan apprentice. Looking around, I realized I had stumbled onto a group of ShadowClan apprentices; seven other apprentices surrounded me, staring at me with fearful eyes.

She rolled off the mushy ground, spitting moist dirt out of her mouth. "We got bored so we snuck out." She said calmly, as if that happened all the time. Then she remembered what clan I was from and stared at me with pleading eyes. "You won't tell, right?"

I scoffed. "Of course not." Now that I thought about it, I had seen Bouncepaw before: she constantly went to the meetings, along with her brother and sister. As a matter of fact, I recognized all of them once I saw their faces. "But did you plan to go alone, or did you just happen to drag Hollowpaw, Flintpaw, Tigerpaw, Flowerpaw, Speckledpaw, Sparrowpaw and Swiftpaw along with you?"

She examined her paws guiltily. "I was just planning to go for a walk when they decided to follow me." The other apprentices copied her pose, looking so guilty it made my heart hurt. "And…we didn't just sneak out the apprentices."

"What?" I gasped, and there was a pause before three dark heads poked out from behind Flintpaw and Speckledpaw. Two toms and a she-cat, a small black one, a grey-brown-black tabby tom, and a silvery she-cat with a single black stripe and blue eyes. I groaned (no wonder I had smelled milk!), digging my claws into the soft earth. "Please tell me those aren't ShadowClan kits."

"Sorry to disappoint, but yes, they are. They heard us and snuck out as well."

I opened my mouth to yell at them- did they know how much trouble they would be in? - Before I shut it with a snap. I didn't have time for this. Two kits could very well be dead by now. The fear made my heart race, and I think Bouncepaw could smell my fear, since she asked me what was wrong.

I shook my head. I didn't have time to explain. "You all know how to track, right?" I asked, staring at the eight apprentices. A couple of them shrugged in response.

"I do." Bouncepaw said, briskly shaking her head as if to clear it. "What do you need to find?"

"Two kits and a RiverClan warrior. But when we find them, you must all stay out of sight, alright? I'm not supposed to be out here anyway, and if he sees you, it will make things worse. Promise me to stay out of the way." I begged.

They looked at each other for a moment, not speaking, just wondering what the others thought. Then there was some murmuring, before Flintpaw spoke up. "We'll do it."

"Good, but we have to run fast." I said, then closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could hear the others doing the same around me.

We stood there for a moment, separating the mash of scents we had extracted from the air. Finally a ShadowClan apprentice, Tigerpaw I think, spoke up from the back. "They aren't too far away from here. A little bit farther into RiverClan territory, I think." He said, and then turned and began leading the way. We joined him, following our noses as we ran. And with the other apprentices and kits by my side, I didn't feel as afraid any more: I had cats I could count on with me.

**So a while back somebody suggested that I use those ShadowClan OCs. At the time, Speckledpaw, Tigerpaw, Flowerpaw, Bouncepaw, Hollowpaw, Flintpaw, Swiftpaw, and Sparrowpaw were all kits, but time flew by, and it wouldn't really make sense to have them as kits any more. So this chapter was the product. **

** Anyway, I'm happy since I have no school tomorrow do to sleet and possible snow (which are a rare sight where I live)! So I may be able to update unless the power lines freeze over, but I don't think that will happen. **

** Poll results: 3 for Petalpaw's Story, 2 for Wilting Thyme. Remember, seven votes is my limit! Vote if you haven't already! **

** -Lilith**


	8. One Wintry Night

** So this by far is going to be one of my favorite chapters. In this chapter, we will discover some interesting new developments **

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**

** *Maplekit's POV* **

I was terrified. I didn't know what was going on, where we were going, or why Stoneheart would drag us out here in the middle of the night.

"What are we going out here?" Oakit said for the fourth time. "I'm freezing."

That was true. When a winter chill had settled in, some of the warriors had made the walls of the nursery thicker, so we wouldn't freeze. Pebblestream wouldn't let us out to play as much as she did during full-leaf, so Oakit and I had been hoping for the day we would run around outside.

But certainly not now, in the middle of the cold. I wanted to be curled up in my nest in the nursery, not out here.

Even though I was chilled to the bone, I looked around, taking in everything. Icicles were forming along the ends of the leaves, weighing them down. Some were covered in frost, and the wind would occasionally shake the snow from the tops of the trees down to the earth. I could hear the faint babbling of a stream, and was impressed that it hadn't frozen over yet.

Oakit was shivering ahead of me, and I could tell that despite his thick coat of fur, he was freezing as well. The cold wind didn't help it: it blew through our fur like it did not exist, making us even colder. Add the exhaustion from being up and walking around so late with the coldness, and I wanted to drop on my paws.

_I want to go home, _I said in my head. _Oh, StarClan, why have you abandoned me at the time of my need? _

I'll admit that I have always been a believer of StarClan. I was aware that it didn't really make sense if you weren't in one of the four clans, but it did to me. But I kind of always expected StarClan to be at my side when I needed it, you know?

And here I was, all alone, being possibly lead to my death. Kind of need some assistance here!

_It'll be alright. Help is on the way._

I gasped and almost tripped on my paws at the sudden intrusion, causing Oakit and Stoneheart to turn and look at me with concern. "I'm fine," I said weakly, "just stumbled on a rock."

That was an acceptable answer. They both turned and kept walking, and I scurried to keep up, wondering where the new voice in my head had come from. Certainly not Stoneheart, and I think if my brother had the ability to do such things, he would tell me. Something else with an understandable mind.

_Who are you?_ I sent back nervously.

There was no reply to my message, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had sent it right. Was there something specific I had to do or something? Could something be messing up the signal? This was a new development, so I didn't know what to do.

_They are coming now. You will recognize one of them: the others are unfamiliar to you. You must not speak a word of this, the cats coming to help, or what you were doing out so late. Understand? _

I memorized the reply before sending back one of my own. _I…yes. _

Silence followed, and I couldn't help but wonder if he or she had gotten it. Probably, since the cat who had sent me the message seemed to have received mine. I fought with myself to keep my face clear of emotions, to not let Stoneheart or Oakit see that something interesting was going on inside my head. Instead, I focused on my hearing, and faintly caught a steady roar of something.

Stoneheart suddenly stopped and moved out of the way so we could see what was ahead. More trees, of course, but they were separated from us by a black, thick, smooth rock. Staring at it, I followed it with my gaze to the point where I couldn't see it anymore in both directions. The roar I had heard before had quieted, and I wonder what animal could've made a noise like that.

"This," Stoneheart began, gesturing to the black rock, "Is a Thunderpath."

I had heard about those before. Cats had been killed on these, and Thunderpaths were commonly avoided. But I had heard even worse stories, of monsters that prowled along these Thunderpaths, capable of crushing a cat (or severely wounding one) in a flash. True monsters, creatures of nightmares. I shrank back away from the rock, and Stoneheart chuckled.

"The Thunderpath here doesn't have any Monsters on it, so it's safe to cross."

"How do you know?" Oakit asked.

"You can hear them coming. They are really loud and bright. Trust me: you can't miss them." He sounded as if he had experience with stuff like this.

"Why are we here?" I asked, still shivering.

"We're going to get to the other side."

"Why?"

While Stoneheart explained, I took a deep breath. Over the stink of the Thunderpath, I could smell something else: something sickly sweet, like honey-covered death berries. The trees on the other side weren't like our trees. It wasn't something I could really explain, just a feeling.

"What's over there?" I asked, cutting off whatever he had been saying.

"Trees," he said, and I knew immediately he was holding something back. "Maybe some squirrels and some birds."

I opened my mouth, about to question him why he was lying, when a voice cut through the air. "Don't you think it's a little late for a midnight stroll, Stoneheart?"

We all jumped and turned. Bright green eyes stared at us from the shadows, piercingly familiar, not looking at anything but Stoneheart. I couldn't see anything besides those green eyes, and suddenly the cat stepped out of the shadows. A she-cat, with dusty grey fur, a small frame, and curled ears stared at us. Never before had I considered her fluffy body to look menacing, her pale eyes to be dangerous.

"Thymepaw." Stoneheart growled. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." She said, and then let her gaze sweep me and my brother. "And with kits? You're making things even worse for yourself, you know."

He opened his mouth to deliver a sharp, stinging retort, but she beat him to it. "I suppose you don't want anybody to know of this, correct?" She said in a freezing tone that made us all shiver.

There was a silence that followed. "I take that as a yes. Maplekit, Oakit, let's go home." She turned and began walking away, leaving us to scramble behind her.

As we walked beside her, I looked at the grey apprentice. "How did you know where we were?"

She let out a huff of air through her jaws. "Your scent. I got up to take a walk, and I could smell it."

Even though the words made sense, I could tell that I was missing something. A lot of things, really. If only somebody would tell me what was going on.

**Sorry it took me a while to update: recently, I set up a Flickr account. Not to look at pictures, but so I could post images of the characters in Falling Twig on it. If you want to know my username, PM me and I'll see if I can change the pictures from private to public. **

** Review!**

** -Lilith**


	9. One Wintry Night2

** Okay so after this I'm thinking of a reunion scene…between who? I'm not giving it away!**

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**

As we snuck back into the dark RiverClan camp, I breathed a sigh. Nobody had woken up, nobody was screaming for their lost kits, nobody had noticed that I had snuck out. Everything was fine.

"In you go." I whisper to Oakit as he followed his sister blearily into the nursery. "And remember: nothing ever happened."

Stoneheart wandered into the camp as well, glowering at me as he passed. I watched as he stationed himself in front of the camp, back to his guarding position. _Mousedung_, I thought to myself, _how else can I get out of here?_

Then I remembered the other ways out of the camp. I turned away from Stoneheart's cold gaze, feeling a smile growing on my face. Quickly wiping it off, I nodded coolly to the pale warrior before vanishing into the apprentice's den.

Just my luck, everybody had decided to pile their bodies in one area, which happened to be right in the center of my path. I ground my teeth together before beginning to sort through the mass of sleeping cats. As I passed Mosspaw and Eaglepaw, Mosspaw muttered in his sleep. "No one must know…" He said, and then began snoring softly.

I was tempted to lean down and ask him what he meant, but I realized if I did I wouldn't get any information: even if he was drowsy from sleep, he wouldn't give away anything juicy. _Why do I feel like everybody knows something that I don't?_

Finally, I reached the back of the mossy den. Leaning close, I began inspecting the moss, looking for the breakthrough. Then I saw it: a small gap, not big enough for a full grown cat to squeeze through, but small enough for an apprentice my size to slip through. Grabbing a piece of moss with my teeth, I ripped it off with a sound that seemed to echo in the den.

I froze, then turned. Only Eaglepaw stirred, murmured something, then drifted back to sleep. Breathing a sigh of relief, I set the moss aside before slipping through the hole in the wall. Cold air greeted me, and I momentarily shivered before heading to the wall of ferns that lined the camp.

The leaves brushed my flank, causing me to shiver again. I shoved the coldness aside and began walking, heading into the deepest part of the forest-like swamp.

Now you see, when we first discovered our RiverClan territory, we discovered that all the streams, brooks, and rivers have a meeting point. A waterfall, about twenty to thirty tail lengths long, which rushed over smooth rocks that were worn from centuries of erosion. From there, the water split occasionally, but most of it emptied out into the lake. The waterfall was the heart of RiverClan territory.

As I headed towards it, I could hear the babbling of the brook becoming a roar. As the trees faded away to hard earth, I stood near the edge of the water. The spray immediately coated me in a light dust of water, but I blinked it out of my eyes and looked around.

Below me, near the bottom of the waterfall, a black mass stood. As I watched, I caught glimmers of eyes. Cat eyes.

Turning, I began my decent down the wet, slippery rocks that lined the falling water. I tripped and slipped several times, but I soon reached the bottom of the water fall. As I walked towards the dark mass, it turned and ran into the woods.

"Oh, relax: it's only me." I growl, and there was a pause before the cats came out of the trees.

"StarClan, you had us worried!" Speckledpaw gasped. By her side, one of the kits glanced at me before shying away, hiding behind the young apprentice. I had without a doubt that the poor kit didn't know what to make of me.

"You can't stay here much longer." I said, addressing the ShadowClan apprentices and kits. "I bet their mother is panicking right now."

"True." Flintpaw said, then looked around. "Which way out of here?"

"I'll lead." I say, and silence fell as we walked across the mushy earth, broken occasionally by the rushing of water or the swish of leaves as the wind stirred them. I could hear the ShadowClan cats behind me, muttering the occasional curses under their breath when they would sink into the mud.

Finally we reached the ShadowClan border, and I turned to the others. "I trust that you don't need me to come any farther."

"We've got it from here." Tigerpaw said, and as they crossed the border, there was a rustling sound. We all froze and watched until a dark russet she-cat bounded from a hedge, eyes wide with frantic relief.

"Beetlekit! Shalekit! Riverkit! You have some explaining to do!" She said, but licked the top of her kits' heads. Then she noticed the apprentices and whirled onto them. "And you all! What were you thinking! Sneaking out like that, and with my kits…"

I chuckled to myself as I slipped back into the swamp before she could see me. As I headed back to the camp, a smile grew on my face as I relived the night's events. Not only had I saved two kits, returned a bunch of ShadowClan apprentices and kits, and successfully snuck out, I had also learned the name of my dream stalker: Snowfur. Not bad for a night.

Then I remembered two important things: I was supposed to meet Firepaw, and I had no idea how to hide the hole in the apprentice's den. I shoved the first issue on my head, then grit my teeth and told myself that I wasn't done. I still had things to do.

Changing my direction, I began heading closer to the lake. There was a small spot that RiverClan cats had avoided for a period of time: an old fox den. Back then, the den apparently branched out all over RiverClan territory, and to make it worse, one out of the two foxes had given birth to three cubs. It had taken a lot to drive them out, but we had managed to eventually. Hopefully, luck would be on my side tonight.

The small hole in the earth seemed to appear much faster than I thought it would. Leaning down, I slowly slinked into the den, trying not to retch from the smell. As I did, a couple of roots snagged on my pelt, causing a couple of scratches.

Finally the ground leveled out, and I stood in the darkness. The reek of fox was all around me, and my mouth curled downward as I dropped to the earth and began to roll in the stench. I really hated it, but it was necessary.

Then I hurried out of the den, into the cool night. Above my head, the inky black was slowly beginning to lighten. I murmured a few choice words under my breath before running through the forest, not bothering to pay attention to my surroundings until I reached the RiverClan camp.

I acknowledged Stoneheart with a cool nod, knowing he was probably confused since I smelled so strongly of fox but I ignored him. Instead, I rushed off to the apprentice's den.

"Eaglepaw, Mosspaw!" I yowled. "You'll never guess what happened!"

**Sorry that chapter was kind of rushed, but I wanted to fit that in. **

** Poll results: 3 to 2. Vote now if you haven't already!**

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**


	10. Aftermath

**Okay I might not be updating as much and as fast due to the fact that I have to write something for a writing contest and my sister has recently begun taking up my writing time by watching Minecraft videos on the computer (that drives me up the wall). **

** Poll results have basically stayed the same, so no recent news…**

** Comment! **

** -Lilith**

Opening my eyes slowly, I felt as if I was peeling film off of them. Blinking, I let my eyes adjust to the semi-darkness, only lit by the weak spots of moss that the sun shone through on the roof of the den. Getting up to my feet, I shook out my pelt before cringing.

The scent of fox still clung to my pelt, making my mouth curl. For a second, I wondered why it was there, and then last night's events came flooding back. Finding Oakit and Maplekit, busting Stoneheart, sneaking the ShadowClan cats back across the border…all of it. And then I remembered my cover story.

So, apparently, last night a fox had been trying to break into the apprentice's den (I couldn't patch up the hole in the back of the den without making some noise), and I had woken up to go make some dirt when I spotted it. Knowing that it would likely kill one of us, I ferociously attacked it (the scratches on my body weren't going to be easily hidden), then drove it all the way to a to a Twoleg place, then walked back, exhausted but triumphant. And after I explained everything to everybody, I passed out.

And not one single mention about Stoneheart, the two kits, or the ShadowClan apprentices.

Pulling myself to my feet, I walked up the lichen that draped over the entrance to the den, watching the world outside from the shadows. Owlflight and Pebblestream were watching their kits proudly from the nursery, and I couldn't help but smile as Maplekit tackled Oakit down to the ground. Lizardtail and Viperfang, talking about something, by the fresh-kill pile. Streamtail leading a border patrol with Frogleap, Willowbranch, and Stormcloud. Stoneheart, sitting by a large willow, talking to his followers about something.

My mouth curved into a frown when I saw him, wondering what possible evil could be stored up in that mind of his. What next? Stealing prey from ShadowClan? 'Accidentally' drowning Streamtail? Tossing Goldenpool over the waterfall?  
The fiery pit of anger and hatred flared in my stomach, and I wondered how much longer we could put up with his act. Days? Moons? Only StarClan knew. But when that time comes, I knew that I would need some serious backup, since even though he is one warrior, he has supporters.

But who? Who would help me take him down? It seemed like I was the only one who knew of his twisted heart, and due to the fact that many cats were starting to listen to him, my chances of getting somebody to hear me out were dwindling. It would be a miracle if somebody could actually believe that Stoneheart was a terrible cat.

Letting out a sigh, I stepped out of the den and into the mid-day sun, and was immediately greeted by many cats.

"Thymepaw!" A voice called my name, and the small group of cats expanded as many other joined, trying to ask me a question or gift me with praise.

"Knew you had it in you!" Violetbloom yelled.

"She is the perfect image of an apprentice. Well done, Thymepaw!"

For a moment I stood there, wondering what they were talking about. Then I remembered my cover story, the supposed fox attack.

"Thanks!" I beam, quickly adopting a glowing face.

"How big was it?"

"Was it alone?"

"Do you think it'll come back?"

I cut through the questions. "It was pretty big, it was alone, and no." I said, and laughter ensued.

They all surged forward, trying to get closer, to talk to the apprentice that had done something that a brave warrior could only do. Finally, Firepaw squeezed her way through the crowd and stood beside me, then turned and faced the cats.

"Alright! Back off! Give her some space! Besides, Thymepaw and I need to have a _private_ conversation." She said, and the cats slowly began to disperse, grumbling since they hadn't been able to ask their questions.

She shoved me in between the warrior's den and the apprentice's den, and, after checking that nobody was listening, turned onto me with a glower. "What were you doing last night?"

"Fighting off a fox." I say, not understanding where she was going with this.

"Uh-huh." She said, and I had a feeling that she didn't believe any of it. "I won't yell at you, but honestly: fighting off a fox? That's your cover story?"

"Shut up, alright." I say, a little angry now. "I was running on only a couple scraps of fish by the time I was done running errands. Besides: what does it matter? Everybody believes it."

"Not Stoneheart," she said, and then looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, Stoneheart was watching us with emotionless blue eyes, but I knew what he was thinking. "And that's what matters most."

My heart lifted. Maybe somebody understood how bad he was. Maybe she could help me.

"Ah, foxdung. We can't meet during the day in case we get caught." Firepaw murmured to herself, forgetting that I was there for a moment. "But the faster we get you there, the better."

Before I could ask her what she meant, her eyes snapped to mine. "Tonight, there is a half-moon, correct?" I nodded, confused by her sudden change of topic. "Good. Meet me by the WindClan border, near the Two-leg place."

She began to walk away, then froze, as if remembering something. "And no more sneaking cats across the border."

"How did you know?" I asked, astonished.

"Their scent was smeared everywhere when I went on a border patrol earlier. Don't worry, only I know about it. Just promise me it won't help me again, and I'll let it slide."

Firepaw is a model friend sometimes.

**So yes, getting close to a couple of new mysteries! Yay!**

** Also, my birthday is coming up (February 13****th****), and I have not requested a birthday gift yet. The problem is, I don't know what I want. Any suggestions? **

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**


	11. Friend

**So I may be updating faster now since I have like all day to type and my sister can watch her Minecraft videos on a tablet. Thank God!**

** Anybody watch the beginning of the Olympics last night?**

** MY BIRTHDAY IS ONLY FIVE DAYS AWAY! YAY!**

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**

It seemed like the day dragged on forever. By the time I had eaten something fulfilling, checked in with Owlflight, and talked to Goldenpool it seemed like the cool, dark night would never come. And here, sitting beneath an oak tree, I felt as if time was moving much slower than it should be.

What I needed was a distraction. But what though? Both Mosspaw and Eaglepaw were on patrol, Goldenpool and Daisyleaf were gathering some strengthening herbs since they had to go to the Moonpool tonight and Owlflight was devoting the day to spending his time with his mate and kits. Resting my head on my forepaws, I sleepily closed my eyes halfway, feeling as if things didn't get any more interesting, I would fall asleep with boredom.

"Hey, Thymepaw." A voice made me jump, and I opened my eyes to see Lizardtail. "You look bored for somebody who spent the night chasing a fox all over the territory."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." I said, and there was a soft rustling before I felt the young warrior sitting beside me, his pelt brushing mine.

"I'm bored too." He said, even though I hadn't asked how he was, "Viperfang is on hunting patrol, and everybody else is pretty much gone."

Opening my mouth, I was just about ready to tell him that I didn't care right now, but then I stopped. What I needed right now was somebody that I could talk to, somebody that understood how I felt.

"Want to go for a walk?" He asked.

I nodded, and then caught myself. "I should probably get Owlflight to come with us. I'm not allowed to leave with another cat without a proper warrior coming along."

He grinned, "Ah, but you forget, I am a warrior."

Never before have I been so thankful for that.

"Well, come on then!" I say, and race him to the entrance. I won of course, since I had a head start, but that did not dampen Lizardtail's mood as we ran into the forest, laughing like we didn't have a care in the world. It felt good to do that again, to be free, and to act like nothing mattered.

After what seemed like hours of just messing around, we stopped by a river. Breathing hard, we both dipped down to lap at the surface of the cool water, which looked like gold in the setting sun. I hadn't done anything this fun with Lizardtail for moons, and that was back when we were apprentices. Back when all we cared about was not setting off our mentors, back when Petalpaw was with us, back when Twigpaw hadn't left…

I immediately felt guilty at the thought of the apprentice. Here I was, having a fun time with Lizardtail, where he could be fighting for his life, or starving in some Two-leg place. I felt like I had cheated him somehow, like I shouldn't be free while he could be suffering. It wasn't fair to him.

And to make matters worse, I didn't even know where he was. He could be miles away, trying to survive, hoping that I would help him, or somebody would. Maybe he had set out clues for me to find, and I just hadn't found them yet. He could be dead for all I knew, and there was no way for me to know whether or not he was.

"You okay?" Lizardtail asked, recovering from the running we had just done.

"I'm fine, just missing Twigpaw." I say, not bothering to hide the sadness in my voice.

"Oh. I'm sorry he isn't here with us." He said as I stretched out beside the water. Following in suit, he leaned over and affectionately rested his head on top of mine, trying to comfort me.

"Thanks." I say, grateful that he was with me to help.

We sat there in silence, listening to the water rush over stones and sweep away branches in the water. I closed my eyes, inhaling his scent: he smelled a lot like moss and earth and something sweet, like honeysuckle or something. Inhaling deeper, I realized that it smelled more like jasmine than honeysuckle. A low chuckle sounded in my ear, and I felt a jolt of embarrassment when I realized I was breathing him in.

"Sorry." I apologized, my voice sounding surprisingly hoarse. I coughed, then lapped some more at the water, trying to clear it.

"It's alright," he said, but I could tell that his voice had changed as well. He didn't make a move for the water though, just stood there, watching me.

We sat in silence for a moment when he spoke again. "So, uh…got an eye on anybody yet?"

For a second, I wondered what he meant. And then it clicked. "Umm, no, not yet. I can't have a mate until I'm a warrior, you know."

"I know, it's just that some cats want to know."

"Who?" I asked, wondering if I was allowed to kick their tail. "Who is it?"

"Your brothers." He said with a grin.

"Is that why you dragged me out here?" I asked, not surprised.

"No: I actually did want to hang out with you."

"Aww, that's sweet." I say, and he put his head on top of mine again.

Closing my eyes, I pressed myself against his neck, breathing in the crisp air. If only everyday were like this, if only every cat was this sweet, if only I could find Twigpaw…

I clamped that idea down. Stay here with Lizardtail, find Twigpaw later. After all, he would be fine for a few minutes, right?

"Thymepaw," a soft voice cooed in my ear.

"Mmm, what?" I asked, annoyed that I had to open my eyes.

What I found made me jump up in shock.

"What's wrong, Thymepaw?" Lizardtail asked as I looked around in shock.

Everything had changed. Over my head were stars in a sea of black, and the sun was gone. The sounds of the animals had faded away and had been replaced by the soft hooting of an owl. A bright, glowing, white half-moon was perched over us, almost as if it was disapprovingly watching us.

"I fell asleep!" I said in shock, then whirled to Lizardtail. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I did, just now. I fell asleep too." He said, getting to his feet. "What's the matter? We can stay here, if you like."

"What will Blazingstar think?" I said, not hearing what he said. "And Violetbloom? I'm just an apprentice! Did anybody see us? Oh, StarClan, what will Mosspaw and Eaglepaw say?"

"Relax: I'm sure nobody saw us. And if they did, they would just think that we were two friends that fell asleep together."

Even though he was trying to comfort me, I could see through it: RiverClan loved to gossip.

"Ah, well: I guess we'll find out when we get back to camp."

We were almost at the entrance when I remembered something important: Firepaw.

"Shoot!" I exclaimed.

"What is it?" Lizardtail asked, surprised at my sudden outburst, but I was already running.

"I got to go! Don't follow! I'll see you in the morning!" I yowled over my shoulder.

' Even though I was already so far away that I couldn't see him anymore, I think I distantly heard a sigh of defeat.

**So ThymepawXLizardtail? Possibly! **

** Comment!**

** -Lilith**


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